yq/usage/xml.md

# XML

Encode and decode to and from XML. Whitespace is not conserved for round trips - but the order of the fields are.

Consecutive xml nodes with the same name are assumed to be arrays.

XML content data and attributes are created as fields. This can be controlled by the `'--xml-attribute-prefix` and `--xml-content-name` flags - see below for examples.

## Parse xml: simple
Notice how all the values are strings, see the next example on how you can fix that.

Given a sample.xml file of:
```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<cat>
  <says>meow</says>
  <legs>4</legs>
  <cute>true</cute>
</cat>
```
then
```bash
yq e -p=xml '.' sample.xml
```
will output
```yaml
cat:
  says: meow
  legs: "4"
  cute: "true"
```

## Parse xml: number
All values are assumed to be strings when parsing XML, but you can use the `from_yaml` operator on all the strings values to autoparse into the correct type.

Given a sample.xml file of:
```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<cat>
  <says>meow</says>
  <legs>4</legs>
  <cute>true</cute>
</cat>
```
then
```bash
yq e -p=xml ' (.. | select(tag == "!!str")) |= from_yaml' sample.xml
```
will output
```yaml
cat:
  says: meow
  legs: 4
  cute: true
```

## Parse xml: array
Consecutive nodes with identical xml names are assumed to be arrays.

Given a sample.xml file of:
```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<animal>cat</animal>
<animal>goat</animal>
```
then
```bash
yq e -p=xml '.' sample.xml
```
will output
```yaml
animal:
  - cat
  - goat
```

## Parse xml: attributes
Attributes are converted to fields, with the default attribute prefix '+'. Use '--xml-attribute-prefix` to set your own.

Given a sample.xml file of:
```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<cat legs="4">
  <legs>7</legs>
</cat>
```
then
```bash
yq e -p=xml '.' sample.xml
```
will output
```yaml
cat:
  +legs: "4"
  legs: "7"
```

## Parse xml: attributes with content
Content is added as a field, using the default content name of `+content`. Use `--xml-content-name` to set your own.

Given a sample.xml file of:
```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<cat legs="4">meow</cat>
```
then
```bash
yq e -p=xml '.' sample.xml
```
will output
```yaml
cat:
  +content: meow
  +legs: "4"
```

## Parse xml: with comments
A best attempt is made to preserve comments.

Given a sample.xml file of:
```xml

<!-- before cat -->
<cat>
	<!-- in cat before -->
	<x>3<!-- multi
line comment 
for x --></x>
	<!-- before y -->
	<y>
		<!-- in y before -->
		<d><!-- in d before -->z<!-- in d after --></d>
		
		<!-- in y after -->
	</y>
	<!-- in_cat_after -->
</cat>
<!-- after cat -->

```
then
```bash
yq e -p=xml '.' sample.xml
```
will output
```yaml
# before cat
cat:
  # in cat before
  x: "3" # multi
  # line comment 
  # for x
  # before y

  y:
    # in y before
    # in d before
    d: z # in d after
    # in y after
  # in_cat_after
# after cat
```

## Encode xml: simple
Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
cat: purrs
```
then
```bash
yq e -o=xml '.' sample.yml
```
will output
```xml
<cat>purrs</cat>
```

## Encode xml: array
Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
pets:
  cat:
    - purrs
    - meows
```
then
```bash
yq e -o=xml '.' sample.yml
```
will output
```xml
<pets>
  <cat>purrs</cat>
  <cat>meows</cat>
</pets>
```

## Encode xml: attributes
Fields with the matching xml-attribute-prefix are assumed to be attributes.

Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
cat:
  +name: tiger
  meows: true

```
then
```bash
yq e -o=xml '.' sample.yml
```
will output
```xml
<cat name="tiger">
  <meows>true</meows>
</cat>
```

## Encode xml: attributes with content
Fields with the matching xml-content-name is assumed to be content.

Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
cat:
  +name: tiger
  +content: cool

```
then
```bash
yq e -o=xml '.' sample.yml
```
will output
```xml
<cat name="tiger">cool</cat>
```

## Encode xml: comments
A best attempt is made to copy comments to xml.

Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
# above_cat
cat: # inline_cat
  # above_array
  array: # inline_array
    - val1 # inline_val1
    # above_val2
    - val2 # inline_val2
# below_cat

```
then
```bash
yq e -o=xml '.' sample.yml
```
will output
```xml
<!-- above_cat inline_cat --><cat><!-- above_array inline_array -->
  <array>val1<!-- inline_val1 --></array>
  <array><!-- above_val2 -->val2<!-- inline_val2 --></array>
</cat><!-- below_cat -->
```

## Round trip: with comments
A best effort is made, but comment positions and white space are not preserved perfectly.

Given a sample.xml file of:
```xml

<!-- before cat -->
<cat>
	<!-- in cat before -->
	<x>3<!-- multi
line comment 
for x --></x>
	<!-- before y -->
	<y>
		<!-- in y before -->
		<d><!-- in d before -->z<!-- in d after --></d>
		
		<!-- in y after -->
	</y>
	<!-- in_cat_after -->
</cat>
<!-- after cat -->

```
then
```bash
yq e -p=xml -o=xml '.' sample.xml
```
will output
```xml
<!-- before cat --><cat><!-- in cat before -->
  <x>3<!-- multi
line comment 
for x --></x><!-- before y -->
  <y><!-- in y before
in d before -->
    <d>z<!-- in d after --></d><!-- in y after -->
  </y><!-- in_cat_after -->
</cat><!-- after cat -->
```